Sarah - A Long Shot

From last time ...

I'm just as smart as they are. It's time I let them know that.

And a slow, sly smile crossed his face.

And now ...

"Billy, let's drive through town, okay? I've got time before my plane and there's something I want to see."

"Sure Sarah. Where to?"

"Take me to Giamatti's building."

"Are you sure? What if one of them spots this Jeep? I mean ... I know it's a long shot, but we don't know that one of them might not have seen the Jeep at one of the shootings."

"Okay. Just show me which one it is. We don't have to get too close."

"Alright. But I still think it's risky."

Two Feathers had been driving Sarah to McCarran to catch her plane back to the coast and this detour toward the Strip had taken him by surprise. And now he was nervous.

"Gee whiz, Sarah. I really don't like this. Anyway, that's his building up the street there. See it? That blond brick building."

"What floor is his office on and which side of the building?"

"He's on the 8th floor. The top. And you can see his office window from here."

Sarah looked up and saw the window Two Feathers mentioned. The building was about a block ahead of them and it was the tallest building in that direction. She turned in her seat to look back over her shoulder.

"Billy, go around the block and go back to that building back there - that new one they're building. I want to look at it."

"Sure, Sarah."

Two Feathers drove around the block and went back an extra block the other way and came around again so they could pull up in front of the new building. Sarah got out of the Jeep.

"Wait here will you? I may be a few minutes, but I'll be back as quick as I can."

With that, Sarah stepped through an opening in the wooden fence that had been erected around the base of the building and disappeared. Billy saw her unbutton the top button of her blouse just as she moved out of sight.

"I wonder what she's up to?"

About 15 minutes later, Billy began to think that perhaps it might be time to go looking for Sarah. After all, she did have a plane to catch and time was beginning to run just a bit short. He had just made up his mind to get out of the Jeep when Sarah appeared through the same opening in the fence she had used for access. As she walked across hte sidewalk to get into the Jeep, she buttoned up her blouse.

"Okay, let's go. To the airport."

As they turned away from the strip and headed out to McCarran, Sarah smiled to herself. She knew she had found the place for her shot - when the time came. But there was only one problem. The Bertrett might not be the right weapon for the shot. This was going to be a 500 yard shot, when it happened, and it had to penetrate the window in Giamatti's office. She was going to need a higher caliber weapon - and it was going to need a silencer. She was going to have to talk to Mackey.

"So what was that all about?"

"Oh, just doing a little recon. Getting the lay of the land, so to speak. I think I may rent an office in that building when it's done. One where I can see Giamatti's office. I'll want to spy on him for a while - when it's his turn. I'll be able to do that from there."

Sarah hated to lie to Billy Two Feathers. But she couldn't tell him everything. If he was ever caught by Giamatti's men, he couldn't know what her plans might be. He couldn't know that the new building was going to be her platform for killing Giamatti, because if they made him talk ... well, he just couldn't know, that's all.

"So? Did someone show you around?"

"Oh, yes. Some nice young construction guy took me up all the way to the top. Gave me a hard hat to wear and everything. You know, Las Vegas is really pretty from up there. Did you know that?"

"Nope. Never been up more than two stories. I'll have to make sure to get to the top of one of these buildings, though. Just to see."

"Yeah, Billy. You do that. Now hit it - I don't want to miss my plane."